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Don’t target individuals in new constitution - Fr Mpasa

Don’t target individuals in new constitution - Fr Mpasa
Written by Ernest Chanda
Saturday, May 30, 2009 3:34:31 PM

MANSA Diocese Vicar General Fr Mambwe Mpasa has advised Zambians to sail beyond the idea of targeting individuals as the country enacts a new Republican constitution.

Commenting on works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti's proposal that presidential candidates in the next election should be degree holders, Fr Mpasa argued that education alone did not give one leadership qualities.

"We have had excellent leaders who were not degree holders. Currently we have a degree holder in State House but things are still not right in the country. Poverty levels continue to go high and unemployment continues to grow. Corruption is also on the increase and people are still losing jobs," Fr Mpasa said. "In my life as a servant of God I have also learnt that the ability to lead people does not come from high levels of education. Leadership comes from God, with level-headedness and the wisdom to understand and value people's needs. In fact most of the people in [first Republican president] Dr [Kenneth] Kaunda's team were lowly educated but they achieved a lot of things for this country. Yet they never viewed national problems from a theoretical perspective but from a practical one."

Fr Mpasa said the country had seen highly-educated people in government who had also messed up the economy.

"The first MMD Cabinet had a lot of highly-educated individuals, but look at what they have left in this country - poverty! And most of them are in problems because of economic mismanagement despite them being degree holders. I don't look at that as the criterion for choosing presidents. Besides, let us not discriminate against those who have the ability to lead this country but have no degrees."

He called on National Constitutional Conference (NCC) delegates to be broadminded and consider posterity as they deliberated on the new constitution.

"May I appeal to the NCC to think beyond their perceived enemies and political opponents. They should know that they are not writing a political party constitution. It would be a grave moral sin to stop others from contesting the next election just because we want to fix them. Let us learn from the 1996 constitution, which was targeted against Dr Kaunda. That 1996 citizenship clause up to now remains a big shame to the country," Fr Mpasa said. "I pray that those honourable members of the NCC should be above all pettiness and give us a good constitution. Targeting individuals is too costly for the nation because it means the constitution will have to be revisited in future. Besides, let us not end up handing over the country to a Dr Criminal or Professor Criminal. Let us be broadminded and think of the future generations."

Last week, Mulongoti said the nation should not U-turn on the precedent of having university graduates as Republican presidents.

Mulongoti, who is a nominated member of parliament, said the standard had already been set where the last three presidents had been degree holders.

He said former president Frederick Chiluba managed to get a degree when he was in State House, while President Rupiah Banda and late president Levy Mwanawasa entered the highest office in the land as graduates.

"I do not know whether it will help the country by reversing that and going to people who are not graduates. We should move on by attaching premium to leadership. We must adhere to the standards we have already set as a country by having the last three presidents who are graduates," said Mulongoti.

Labels: CONSTITUTION, MAMBWE MPASA, NCC

posted by MrK @ 2:37 PM